Feeder

ABSTRACT

An ammunition feeder for a machinegun has two sets of in-feed sprockets which alternatively feed rounds to a shiftable tray having two alternative stripping stations, either of which may be alternatively disposed to cooperate with the bolt.

United States Patent OBrien et al. N

[ 51 May 16, 1972 r541 FEEDER [72] Inventors: John F. OBrien; Herve J.Ouellette, both of Springfield, Mass.

[73] Assignee: General Electric Company [22] Filed: Oct. 24, 1969 21Appl. No.: 869,148

[52] US Cl! ..89/33 SF, 89/33 CA [51] r ..F4ld 9/02 [58] Field of Search..89/33, 33 SF [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,417,65712/1968 Maillard et a1. ....89/33 SF FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS1,557,304 l/l969 France ..89/33 SF Primary Examiner-Stephen C. BentleyAttorney-Bailin L. Kuch, Irving M. Freedman, Harry C. Burgess, Frank L.Neuhauser, Oscar B. Waddell and Joseph B. Forman [57] ABSTRACT Anammunition feeder for a machinegun has two sets of infeed sprocketswhich alternatively feed rounds to a shiftable tray having twoalternative stripping stations, either of which may be alternativelydisposed to cooperate with the bolt.

10 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures PATENTEDMY 1s m:

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by The/r Attorne FEEDER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION to continuallyselect either of two feeds of ammunition, is shown inU. S. Pat.application Ser. No. 814,085, filed on 7 Apr. 1969, by R. H. Colby. Thatgun is admirably suited to its purpose. It has a feeder with .two setsof in-feed sprockets which, alternatively feed rounds to a stationarytray from which; the round is subsequently stripped by the bolt into thechamber. However, after thefeeding has been switched from one sprocketset to the other sprocket set, the last round placed on the tray by thepreceeding set had to be stripped, chambered and tired before the firstround from the subsequent set could be stripped, chambered and fired.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is an object of thisinvention to provide a feeder with two sets of in-feed sprockets whichalternatively feed rounds to a tray from which the round is subsequentlystripped by the bolt into the chamber, wherein after the feeding hasbeen switched from one sprocket set to the other sprocket set, the firstround from the subsequent set is immediately available to be stripped,chambered and tired.

A feature of the invention is the provision of a feeder having two setsof in-feed sprockets which alternatively feed rounds to a shiftable trayhaving two respective alternative stripping stations, either of whichmay be alternatively disposed to cooperate with the bolt.

I BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING These and other objects, features andadvantages will be apparent from thefollowing specification thereoftaken in conjunctionr with the accompanying drawing in which;

FIG.,1 is a top plan view of a feeder embodying this invention;

FIG. 2 is a right side view in elevation of the feeder of FIG. 1;. IFIG. 3 is an aft view in elevation of the feeder of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 4, 5,6,7, and 8 are aft views in cross-section taken along planeX-X of FIG. 1 illustrating the dual, alternative feeding function, and

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the rudimentary structure of the feederof FIG. 1.

THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The feeder herein shown and described isadapted to be used with the machine gun shown and described in Ser. No.

814,085 in substitution for the feeder therein. Recourse should be madeto that disclosure for a complete description of the machinegun. Brieflyrecapitulating, that machine gun includes a receiver, a barrel extensionreciprocable in the receiver, a bolt B reciprocable in the receiver, anaccelerator 3 increment on the up stroke of the crank shaft, anotherdetent is adapted to drive that sprocket one half a feed increment onthedown stroke, the other two detents are similarly adapted to drive theother feeder sprocket. Only one sprocket may cooperate with thecrankshaft at any given time.

The feeder of this invention includes a front wall 12 and a rear wall14, both integral with a bottom plate which is formed of a lefl and aright spaced elongated portion 16L and 16R. A right side wall 18 and aleft side wall 20 are respectively releasably mounted to and between thefront and rear walls by a plurality of hinge pins 22 and spring loadeddetents 24.

A left hand splined shaft 26 and a right hand splined shaft 28 arejournaled through and between the front and rear walls. A top connectingbeam 30 extends from and between the front and rear walls and includes afront, transverse ammuni tion guide plate 32 and a rear, transverseammunition guide plate 34. The edge of the plate 34 includes a lip 36adapted to engage the extractor plate E of the round of ammunition A.The interior surfaces of the side plates 18-, 20 include appropriatebosses 38, 40 to guide the ammunition links L. A respective left andright front, blunt, hook shaped ammunition guide and link stripper 42L42R extends upwardly-outwardly from a respective left and right flange44L and 44R on the edge of each respective bottom elongated portion 16Land 16R, and a respective left and right rear, sharp, hook shapedammunition guide and link stripper 46L and 46R extendsupwardly-outwardly from the flange on the edge of each respective bottomelongated portion 16L and 16R.

A respective left and right front, three hook sprocket 48L and 48R, anda respective left and right rear, three hooked sprocket 50L and 50R arerespectively fixedly splined onto the shaft 26, 28. A respective driveratchet wheel 52L and 52R each having six teeth, a respective annularcam track 54L and 54R, and three radial cutouts (not visible) in thefront faces, are slidably splined onto each shaft. A switch handle 58 ispivotally mounted to the upper side of the top connecting beam 30 by apin 60. A T-bar switch plate 62 is pivotally mounted to the underside ofthe handle by a pin 64, and is pivotally mounted to the upperside of anaft extension of the top connecting beam 30 by a pin 66. A respectivecamming pin 68L and 68R extend downwardly from each end of the arm ofthe T-bar switch plate and extends in the respective annular cam track54L and 54R. Thus, swinging of the handle to the right will provideswinging of the switch plate to the right and respective forwardshifting of the right hand drive sprocket 52R out of engagement with therespective drive detents (not shown) of the drive crank shaft andrespective forward shifting of the left hand drive sprocket 52L intoengagement with the respective drive detents of the drive crank shaft. Alocking pin 70 passes through the handle 58 and is adapted to engageeither of a left hand or right hand locking hole 72L or 72R in theswitch plate, to lock the plate, arm and drive ratchets in either thefull left or full right position. The upper end of the pin 70 is pinnedto a crank arm 74 and biased downwardly by a spring, not seen, capturedbetween the distal end of the arm 74 and the handle 58. A left and rightlocking pin (not visible) project rearwardly from the rear wall 14, andare adapted to engage one of the radial cutouts 56L, 56R in a respectivedrive ratchet, when that drive ratchet is in its forward disposition,free of the drive detents.

A front depressor spring assembly 78 and a rear depressor springassembly 80 extend downwardly from the top connecting beam 30. Eachassembly includes two laterally extending, longitudinally spaced apartplates 82, 84, fixed to the bar 30. A plunger foot 86 is slidablymounted between these plates, and is biased downwardly by a compressionspring 88. As shown in FIG. 4, the plunger foot 86 is substantiallyV-shaped in elevation. The lower end of the spring 88 nests in the cleftof the V while the upper end nests in mutually opposed recesses formedin the mutually opposed faces of the plates 82, 84. Vertical travel ofthe foot is limited by two laterally spaced apart pins 80 fixed throughand between the plates and respectively passing through two spacedapart, vertically elongated slots in the foot. The widths of the slotsare slightly greater than the diameters of the pins to permit limitedrocking movement of the foot, that is, to permit the foot to both pivotabout one pin and to translate on both pins. Four spring loaded dogs 90are respectively pivotally mounted in the upper corner of each of thedepressor assemblies, to hold ammo belts, not shown. Four bayonetsockets 92 in the front and rear walls, receive and snap locks on thetwo laterally spaced apart ammunition chutes, not shown, to the top ofthe feeder.

A laterally shiftable tray assembly 94 is disposed within the feeder.The tray assembly includes a front lateral plate 96, a rear lateralplate 98, a right side beam 100 extending longitudinally from andbetween said plates, a left side beam 102 extending longitudinally fromand between said plates, and an upstanding medial web 104 extendinglongitudinally from and between said plates. The lacuna between the weband the right beam serves as a right tray aperture 106, and the lacunabetween the web and the left beam serves as a left tray aperture 108. Anelongated socket 110 is" cut out into the top center edge of the frontplate 96 and a similar socket 112 is cut out into the top center edge ofthe rear plate 98. A rabbet 114 is cut into the front face of the frontplate 96 and receives a track element 116 which is mounted on the frontwall 12 by screws 118 and through a hole in the wall. A similar rabbet120 is cut into the rear face of the rear plate 98 and receives a trackelement 112 which is mounted on the rear wall 14 by pins and through ahole in the wall.

A front hanger 124 and a rear hanger 126 are integral with and extenddownwardly from the top connecting beam 30, and a shaft 128 is journaiedto and beyond these hangers. An arm 130 has its upper end fixed to theforward end of the shaft 128 between the hanger 124 and the wall 12, itslower end formed into a ball and disposed in the socket 110. An arm 132has a medial portion fixed to the aft end of the shaft 128 between thehanger 126 and the wall 14, its lower end formed into a ball anddisposed in the socket 112, and its upper portion extending upwardly,through a clearance hole in the top connecting beam 30, through aclearance hole in the switch plate 62, and through an elongated, camminghole in the switch handle 58. Thus, siwnging the handle 58 to the rightswings the upper end of the rear arm 132 to the right, rotates the shaft128 clockwise, and swings the lower ends of the arms 130, 132 to theleft, shifting the tray assembly to the left, so that the right aperture106 is disposed the center line of the feeder and is aligned with thebolt B. Concomitantly, the handle 58 has caused the switch plate to camthe right drive ratchet 52R into engagement with the crank shaftdetents. Similarly, swinging the handle to the left aligns the leftaperture with the bolt and engages the left drive ratchet 52L.

A left and right rear, wedge shaped ammunition guide 134L and 134R and aleft and right front, wedge shaped ammunition guide 136L, and 136R areintegral with and extend laterally from each of the left side beam 102,and the right side beam 100. These wedges form a smooth curve with theadjacent fixed ammunition guides 42L, 42R, 46L and 46R.

Thus, a cycle of operation may be described as follows: As shown in FIG.4, the switch handle 58 is swung to the left, the tray assembly 96 isswung to the right so that the left tray aperture 108 is aligned withthe bolt, a round has been stripped and chambered, and the bolt and thebarrel are in battery. After the round is fired, the barrel extensionand the bolt recoil, the bolt ejects the fired cartridge case, thebarrel extension earns the feeder drive crank shaft to drive the leftdrive ratchet one-half of a feed increment to advance the next roundalong and between the left hand front and rear wedge guides and thesides of the depressor feet, onto the left tray aperture 108 and underthe depressor springs, as shown in FIG. 7. In this process, the roundinitially rocks and raises the depressor feet, as shown in FIG. 5, andsubsequently raises the feet as it is raised by the recoiling bolt withits rammer passing thereunder, as shown in FIG. 6. The respectivesprings both aligns the feet and biases the feet downwardly to seat theround on the tray aperture as shown in FIG. 7.

It will be seen in FIG. 7 that a round had previously been disposed onthe right hand tray aperture 106. At this point, the option is availableto fire either the left hand or the right hand round. If the decision isto fire the left hand round, then the bolt is unseared, and permitted toride forward to strip the left hand round from the left hand trayaperture. If the decision is made to change ammunition feeds and to firethe right hand round, then the switch handle 58 is swung to the right,shifting the tray assembly to the left and aligning the right trayaperture with the bolt, as shown in FIG. 8. When the bolt is unseared itwill strip the right hand round from the right hand tray aperture.

It will be seen that adjacent rounds in the same feed path are spacedapart by more than the diameter of an intermediate round, and,therefore, a space is provided which will receive the round on a trayaperture which has been shifted out of alignment with the bolt. As eachround is traversed down the guides by the sprockets, it is underpositive control until itis snubbed under the side concavities of theplunger feet, as shown in FIG. 5. On the last half increment of rotationof the sprockets, it is snapped by the tips of the sprockets along thesides of the plunger feet under the feet onto the tray aperture.

What is claimed is:

1. An ammunition side stripper and feeder assembly for an at leastpartly self acting gun having a reciprocable bolt and firing linkedrounds of ammunition, comprising:

a housing;

an ammunition tray disposed in said housing and having first and secondlaterally spaced apart, longitudinally elongated apertures;

first transfer means in said housing for initially receiving a firsttrain of linked rounds, for subsequently side stripping a round from itslink in said train, and for finally disposing such round on said firsttray aperture;

second transfer means in said housing for initially receiving a secondtrain of linked rounds, for subsequently side stripping a round from itslink in said train, and for finally disposing such round on said secondtray aperture; and

means for shifting said tray laterally to and between a first and asecond disposition for aligning either said first or said second trayaperture respectively with said bolt.

2. An assembly according to claim 1 wherein:

said first transfer means includes first rounds delinking means,

a first shaft journalled to said housing and having a first plurality ofsprockets fixed thereon for positively displacing a round past saidfirst delinking means, and a first drive means longitudinally movable toand between a drive disposition and a non drive disposition andangularly fixed to said first shaft for rotating said shaft;

said second transfer means includes second rounds delinking means,

a second shaft journalled to said housing and having a second pluralityof sprockets fixed thereon for positively displacing a round past saidsecond delinking means, and a second drive means longitudinally movableto and between a drive disposition and a non drive disposition andangularly fixed to said second shaft for rotating said shaft; and

said shifting means being coupled to said tray and said first and secondtransfer means for concurrently shifting said tray to said firstdisposition, said first drive means to said drive disposition on saidfirst shaft, and said second drive means to said non drive dispositionon said second shaft, and for concurrently shifting said tray to saidsecond disposition, said first drive means to said non drive dispositionon said first shaft, and said second drive means to said drivedisposition on said second shaft.

3. An assembly according to claim 2 wherein:

said shifting means includes guide means for supporting and guiding saidtray to and between said first and second dispositions; and

operating means for shifting said tray along said guide means, includinga crank shaft journalled fore and aft to said housing,

a fore arm and an aft arm each respectively fixed at one end to saidcrank shaft and coupled at the other end to said tray, and

means for rocking said shaft.

4. An assembly according to claim 3 wherein: said rocking meansincludes:

a switch handle pivotally mounted to said housing; and

a crank arm fixed to said crank shaft and coupled to said switch handle.

5. An assembly according to claim 4 wherein: said first transfer meansincludes:

a first shaft journaled in said housing having a plurality of sprocketsfixed thereon for positively displacing a round; and a first driveratchet splined thereon for rotating said shaft incrementally; said:second transfer means includes:

a second shaft journaled in said housing having a plurality of sprocketsfixed thereon for positively displacing a round, and a second driveratchet splined thereon for rotating said shaft incrementally; and

a switch plate coupled to said switch handle and said first and secondratchet whereby when said switch handle is moved to a first dispositionit rocks said crank shaft to a firstdisposition to shift said tray tosaid first disposition and to shift said first ratchet on said firstshaft to an operative disposition and said second ratchet on said secondshaft to an inoperative disposition, and when said switch handle ismoved to a second disposition it rocks said crank shaft to a seconddisposition to shift said tray to said second disposition and to shiftsaid second ratchet on said second shaft to an operative disposition andsaid first ratchet on said first shaft to an inoperative disposition.

6. An assembly according to claim 2 further including: depressor meansmounted to said housing in alignment with thebolt for resilientlypassing a round from a respective plurality of sprockets to therespective tray aperture and for resiliently retaining the round on saidrespective tray aperture.

7. An assembly according to claim 6 wherein:

said depressor means includes a plurality of depressor feet which areresiliently mounted for rectilinear reciprocation and for concomitantpivotal movement.

8. An assembly according to claim 6 wherein:

said depressor means includes a rail fixed to said housing over saidtray;

a plurality of depressor plates, each having two parallel slotsperpendicular to said rail, two projections fixed to said rail andextending respectively into and substantially clearing said slots, andspring means biasing said plate away from said rail, whereby said plateis free to reciprocate between said rail and said tray upon bothprojections, and to pivot about one projection and swing on the otherprojection. 9. An at least partly self acting gun, comprising: areceiver having a first longitudinal axis; a barrel disposed for recoiland counter-recoil movement in said receiver along said firstlongitudinal axis; a bolt disposed for recoil and counter-recoilmovement in said receiver along said first longitudinal axis; anammunition side stripper and feeder assembly mounted to said receiverand coupled to and between said barrel extension and said ammunitionfeed assembly. for coupling movement of said barrel extension intomovement of said stripper and feeder assembly, including a housing; anammunition tray disposed in said housing and having first and secondlaterally spaced apart, longitudinally elongated apertures; firsttransfer means in said housing for initially receiving a first train oflinked rounds, for subsequently side stripping a round from its link insaid train, and for finally disposing such round on said first tray aerture; second transfer means in said housing for initial y receiving asecond train of linked rounds, for subsequently side stripping a roundfrom its link in said train, and for finally disposing such round onsaid second tray aperture; and means for shifting said tray laterally toand between a first and a second disposition for aligning either saidfirst or said second tray aperture respectively with said bolt. 10. Anammunition feed assembly comprising: a housing; an ammunition tray,disposed in said housing, having first and second, laterally spacedapart longitudinally elongated apertures, ammunition depressor means,including:

a rail fixed to said housing over said tray; a plurality of depressorplates; a like plurality of means, each for mounting and capturing arespective depressor plate to said rail for reciprocatory movement andfor rotary movement with respect to said rail, each said meansincluding:

two parallel slots in the respective depressor plate, two projectionsfixed to said rail and extending respectively into and substantiallyclearing said slots, and spring means biasing said plate away from saidrail, whereby said respective plate is free to reciprocate between saidrail and said tray upon both projec tions, and to pivot about oneprojection and to swing on the other projection.

1. An ammunition side stripper and feeder assembly for an at leastpartly self acting gun having a reciprocable bolt and firing linkedrounds of ammunition, comprising: a housing; an ammunition tray disposedin said housing and having first and second laterally spaced apart,longitudinally elongated apertures; first transfer means in said housingfor initially receiving a first train of linked rounds, for subsequentlyside stripping a round from its link in said train, and for finallydisposing such round on said first tray aperture; second transfer meansin said housing for initially receiving a second train of linked rounds,for subsequently side stripping a round from its link in said train, andfor finally disposing such round on said second tray aperture; and meansfor shifting said tray laterally to and between a first and a seconddisposition for aligning either said first or said second tray aperturerespectively with said bolt.
 2. An assembly according to claim 1wherein: said first transfer means includes first rounds delinkingmeans, a first shaft journalled to said housing and having a firstplurality of sprockets fixed thereon for positively displacing a roundpast said first delinking means, and a first drive means longitudinallymovable to and between a drive disposition and a non drive dispositionand angularly fixed to said first shaft for rotating said shaft; saidsecond transfer means includes second rounds delinking means, a secondshaft journalled to said housing and having a second plurality ofsprockets fixed thereon for positively displacing a roUnd past saidsecond delinking means, and a second drive means longitudinally movableto and between a drive disposition and a non drive disposition andangularly fixed to said second shaft for rotating said shaft; and saidshifting means being coupled to said tray and said first and secondtransfer means for concurrently shifting said tray to said firstdisposition, said first drive means to said drive disposition on saidfirst shaft, and said second drive means to said non drive dispositionon said second shaft, and for concurrently shifting said tray to saidsecond disposition, said first drive means to said non drive dispositionon said first shaft, and said second drive means to said drivedisposition on said second shaft.
 3. An assembly according to claim 2wherein: said shifting means includes guide means for supporting andguiding said tray to and between said first and second dispositions; andoperating means for shifting said tray along said guide means, includinga crank shaft journalled fore and aft to said housing, a fore arm and anaft arm each respectively fixed at one end to said crank shaft andcoupled at the other end to said tray, and means for rocking said shaft.4. An assembly according to claim 3 wherein: said rocking meansincludes: a switch handle pivotally mounted to said housing; and a crankarm fixed to said crank shaft and coupled to said switch handle.
 5. Anassembly according to claim 4 wherein: said first transfer meansincludes: a first shaft journaled in said housing having a plurality ofsprockets fixed thereon for positively displacing a round, and a firstdrive ratchet splined thereon for rotating said shaft incrementally;said second transfer means includes: a second shaft journaled in saidhousing having a plurality of sprockets fixed thereon for positivelydisplacing a round, and a second drive ratchet splined thereon forrotating said shaft incrementally; and a switch plate coupled to saidswitch handle and said first and second ratchet whereby when said switchhandle is moved to a first disposition it rocks said crank shaft to afirst disposition to shift said tray to said first disposition and toshift said first ratchet on said first shaft to an operative dispositionand said second ratchet on said second shaft to an inoperativedisposition, and when said switch handle is moved to a seconddisposition it rocks said crank shaft to a second disposition to shiftsaid tray to said second disposition and to shift said second ratchet onsaid second shaft to an operative disposition and said first ratchet onsaid first shaft to an inoperative disposition.
 6. An assembly accordingto claim 2 further including: depressor means mounted to said housing inalignment with the bolt for resiliently passing a round from arespective plurality of sprockets to the respective tray aperture andfor resiliently retaining the round on said respective tray aperture. 7.An assembly according to claim 6 wherein: said depressor means includesa plurality of depressor feet which are resiliently mounted forrectilinear reciprocation and for concomitant pivotal movement.
 8. Anassembly according to claim 6 wherein: said depressor means includes arail fixed to said housing over said tray; a plurality of depressorplates, each having two parallel slots perpendicular to said rail, twoprojections fixed to said rail and extending respectively into andsubstantially clearing said slots, and spring means biasing said plateaway from said rail, whereby said plate is free to reciprocate betweensaid rail and said tray upon both projections, and to pivot about oneprojection and swing on the other projection.
 9. An at least partly selfacting gun, comprising: a receiver having a first longitudinal axis; abarrel disposed for recoil and counter-recoil movement in said receiveralong said first longitudinal axis; a bolt disposed fOr recoil andcounter-recoil movement in said receiver along said first longitudinalaxis; an ammunition side stripper and feeder assembly mounted to saidreceiver and coupled to and between said barrel extension and saidammunition feed assembly, for coupling movement of said barrel extensioninto movement of said stripper and feeder assembly, including a housing;an ammunition tray disposed in said housing and having first and secondlaterally spaced apart, longitudinally elongated apertures; firsttransfer means in said housing for initially receiving a first train oflinked rounds, for subsequently side stripping a round from its link insaid train, and for finally disposing such round on said first trayaperture; second transfer means in said housing for initially receivinga second train of linked rounds, for subsequently side stripping a roundfrom its link in said train, and for finally disposing such round onsaid second tray aperture; and means for shifting said tray laterally toand between a first and a second disposition for aligning either saidfirst or said second tray aperture respectively with said bolt.
 10. Anammunition feed assembly comprising: a housing; an ammunition tray,disposed in said housing, having first and second, laterally spacedapart longitudinally elongated apertures, ammunition depressor means,including: a rail fixed to said housing over said tray; a plurality ofdepressor plates; a like plurality of means, each for mounting andcapturing a respective depressor plate to said rail for reciprocatorymovement and for rotary movement with respect to said rail, each saidmeans including: two parallel slots in the respective depressor plate,two projections fixed to said rail and extending respectively into andsubstantially clearing said slots, and spring means biasing said plateaway from said rail, whereby said respective plate is free toreciprocate between said rail and said tray upon both projections, andto pivot about one projection and to swing on the other projection.